The Monkees Quiz


By: Staff

4 Min Quiz

Image: refer to hsw

About This Quiz

The Monkees exist in a strange nostalgia neverland — they were huge stars, but were they actors or musicians? Were they even a "real" band? Take our quiz to find out how much you know about the Monkees.

When did the Monkees get together?

The band formed in 1965.


How did they form?

In September 1965, producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider put an ad in Daily Variety magazine looking for "four Insane Boys" to audition for a TV series.


How many people showed up for the audition?

More than 400 "insane boys" auditioned.


Who was the only Monkee who actually answered the Daily Variety ad?

Nesmith was the only one who got the job through the ad. Dolenz's agent sent him to the audition; Jones already had a deal with the studio; and Tork was recommended by a friend.


Who recommended Peter Tork for the band?

Stephen Stills had auditioned but was told he looked too old, so he suggested Tork for the job.


Which of the Monkees was cast first?

Davy Jones had a deal with the studio, so he was on the producers' shortlist before the auditions even started.


What's Peter Tork's real name?

Tork is a shortened version of Thorkelson.


What was Micky Dolenz's pre-Monkees stage name?

Dolenz was a show-business kid who went by "Mickey Braddock" as a kid.


What was the name of the TV show Dolenz was on in the '50s?

Dolenz starred in "Circus Boy" for two seasons, starting in 1956.


What award did Davy Jones win in 1963?

Jones won the Tony Award for best supporting actor in a musical for "Oliver!"


As an "Oliver!" cast member, Jones was on "The Ed Sullivan Show" the same night as this iconic musician or group.

Jones was on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on Feb. 9, 1964, the Beatles' first appearance on the show.


Which Monkee was hired to be the drummer, even though he had never played drums before?

Dolenz first mimed playing the drums and then actually learned how to drum.


He played lead guitar, even though he had been trained on the bass.

Mike Nesmith was a good bass player but was given the guitar role.


He was the lead singer, even though he was a good drummer.

Jones was deemed too short to be the drummer, even though he actually knew how to play drums.


What was the Monkees' nickname?

None of the Monkees enjoyed the "Prefab Four" moniker.


For how many seasons did "The Monkees" TV show run?

"The Monkees" was on the air for three seasons, from 1966 to 1968.


What was the Monkees' first single?

The first single — and first No. 1. hit — was "Last Train to Clarksville."


What was the Monkees' biggest hit?

"I'm a Believer" was No. 1 all over the world in 1966.


Who wrote "I'm a Believer"?

A then-unknown Neil Diamond penned the hit.


He was the only Monkee to perform on "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone."

As was the case with most of the early songs, the vocals were the only Monkee contribution. Dolenz sang lead on "Steppin' Stone."


Which of the Monkees directed an episode of the show?

Tork and Dolenz both directed one episode.


"The Monkees" went on location to this city in 1967.

The idea was to have hordes of screaming girls chasing the group through Paris, but they weren't quite popular in France yet.


Which rock star guest-starred as Mike Nesmith on "The Monkees"?

Nesmith and Frank Zappa played each other in an interview segment.


This rock star opened for the Monkees in 1967 but quit after only a few shows.

Hendrix wasn't quite the right match for the Monkees' fans.


Which Beatles song opens the finale of the TV show?

The Beatles were on record as being (semi) fans of the show, and the use of "Good Morning Good Morning" is one of the few times a Beatles song has been licensed for TV.


What does Liberace do on an episode of "The Monkees"?

Liberace appears and bashes his piano to bits with a golden sledgehammer.


True or false: The Monkees outsold the Beatles and Rolling Stones combined in 1967.

Yes, it's true. The Monkees outsold both bands combined that year.


Mike Nesmith inherited about $25 million in 1990 because his mother invented …

Nesmith's mom, Bette Nesmith Graham, was a secretary and part-time painter who invented Liquid Paper.


Who was the first Monkee to die?

Davy Jones died of a heart attack in 2012.


What's the name of the Monkees' 2016 album?

The Monkees celebrated their 50th anniversary with a tour and the release of the album "Good Times!"


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